


Life Is....

by Selah



Series: Long Time Coming [7]
Category: Celestial Garden (Band), Jrock, Kagrra, ネガ | NEGA
Genre: Gen, Slice of Life, mild d/s dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2016-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-25 09:34:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6189326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selah/pseuds/Selah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just another morning after. Only not so just.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Life Is....

**Author's Note:**

> LTC #5, originally written for obscure_jfic@lj.com's August 2012 challenge with the prompt of "gift." Some minor revisions since original release.

Isshi woke to an empty bed, disappointment already souring his mood. It was better than waking up to a cat butt in his face, he supposed, but he still couldn't help feeling let down by the cool emptiness of the other side of his bed. Had San left as soon as he had fallen asleep? Kuina was going to scold him for this, he was certain of it, a thought that made him even more reluctant to get out of bed.

Soft barking from the back yard caught his attention. Slipping into baggy jeans and a hoodie, he padded downstairs, surprised when his nose led him to half a pot of coffee still warming in his machine. Pinky's barking didn't sound especially urgent, so he took the time to make himself a mug of coffee before continuing on his way from kitchen to office and through to the rear veranda. And there another surprise: Pinky and Gucci enthusiastically playing fetch with San. He leaned against the door frame, savoring his morning coffee as he watched the dogs playing. It didn't last more than a few moments before the wind shifted and Gucci caught his scent, galloping up to him as fast as little legs could go, ball in mouth. Surprise and what looked like it might have been embarrassment flickered across San's face when he turned to see what had caught Gucci's attention.

This was probably what San had been wearing when he had originally come to the house, Isshi decided as he watched the young man approach. Fitted black jeans, black boots, a bulky winter coat folded around his slender frame. It wasn't that cold out compared to how cold it was likely to get before the end of winter, but San was such a slight thing, he could readily imagine him being the sort to get chilled easily.

“We didn't wake you, did we, senpai?” San asked as he stepped up onto the veranda.

“Don't worry about it, it's fine,” he said with a small smile, gesturing slightly with his mug. “I see you found the coffee. Thank you.”

“I would have had breakfast ready for you as well, but I wasn't sure when you would be up. And then the dogs were looking so forlorn and hopeful....”

“They'll do that,” he said, grinning over the rim of his mug. “Especially if they think they've found themselves a new sucker. I mean, playmate.”

San's laughter was a sweetly musical sound made all the more endearing by the shy way he would cover his mouth with his hand. He was young still, though not as young as Kuina, sweet and cute and appealing in all the ways that made spending time with him perhaps a bit dangerous. But Isshi was aware of his own issues this time, determined not to make the same mistake yet again.

“Give me a minute and I'll start breakfast,” San said, bending to unbuckle his boots.

“You don't have to do that,” Isshi said, though he didn't put much effort into the protest.

“I know, but I want to,” the younger man said, disappearing into the room next to the office. Isshi lingered at the open shouji a moment longer, enjoying the morning. He could have argued harder, but he really wasn't feeling up to it. The agreement had been for one night, San was no longer under any sort of obligation to serve him. At the same time, he knew it made San happy to be able to do something even so small as making breakfast for him and who was he to take that from him?

One last check to make sure the dogs weren't still in the yard and then he was turning back into his office, closing the shouji behind him.

“Do you need me to help with anything?” he asked, poking his head into the kitchen.

“Nope,” San chirped, smiling again. “Everything's fine, I'll let you know when I have it all finished.”

Nodding, Isshi withdrew back to his office. He'd just check his e-mail while he waited, if San had already planned breakfast, then chances were this wasn't going to take long. 

He wasn't sure how long he had been surfing through adorable kitty memes when San appeared with a soft knock on his office wall.

“Breakfast is served in the next room if you'd care to join us, senpai?”

“Us?” he echoed, getting up from his desk with a slight wince when something in his spine pulled the wrong way. In a heartbeat, hands were sliding over his back, a slight tsking noise when they landed on the spasming muscles. Thumbs dug into his back, making him yelp, but they were also unknotting the muscles.

“I don't know what you're doing to yourself, senpai, but if you're going to keep doing it, then you really ought to at least make a habit of visiting a massage therapist,” San scolded softly, patting his back. “And Kuina-kun is here and probably already feeding himself.”

Isshi didn't remember hearing anyone coming into the house, but he couldn't help smiling at that. Sounded just like Kuina, to make himself at home like that. For all that had gone wrong with Reno, his relationship with Kuina was one thing that had definitely come out right.

Somehow he hadn't been prepared for the virtual feast laid out on the dining table. He counted no fewer than four dishes, along with the usual rice and miso, Kuina already happily munching on a slice of toast.

“San-kun....”

“I know how Kuina-kun eats. Besides, they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”

“Thank you, San-kun,” he murmured, brushing fingers against his arm as he moved past him to sit down.

“Maa, you don't have to be so shy, it's just me~” Kuina teased, grinning at them unrepentantly. “Not like I haven't already seen the two of you naked in bed together~”

“K-kuina!!”

“What?? The house was dark and it was only half past midnight when I got back last night. I knew Tousan was getting old, but I didn't think San-kun would have him worn out so early~!”

“Shut up, pervert,” San grumbled. He shouldn't have laughed, he really shouldn't have, but between the playful leer on Kuina's face and the utter mortification on San's, Isshi couldn't seem to stop himself. Which of course made things worse. A moment and he had himself back under some semblance of control.

“You shouldn't make such assumptions, puppy. I for one was not naked at any point while I was in bed last night,” he confessed. Which, in spite of his intentions, didn't actually make things better, it seemed, as San's face went even redder.

“Isshiiiii-saaaaaaan,” Kuina whined, making a face at him. “I _told_ you to have fun! Unless, oh, oh, does that mean you two were having sex somewhere else? Dirty Tousan!”

The tittering giggle that followed those words was apparently the last straw as San reached across the table to smack Kuina over the head before leaving the room. Well, that didn't seem like a very good sign.

“Ch' ... he really needs to learn to take a joke,” Kuina muttered, rubbing his head even though San hadn't really hit him that hard.

“And you should learn when not to keep pushing,” Isshi scolded. “I've only just met him and I know what a private person he is, you can't tell me you don't,” he continued, setting aside his chopsticks. “You'll apologize to him later and mean it.”

Isshi stayed just long enough to hear Kuina's subdued agreement to do as he asked before following San's escape trail. He was a little surprised, but definitely grateful, to find the young man had only gone as far as the kitchen, bent over the sink. Padding up behind him, he reached out lightly at first, then more firmly rubbing up and down his spine as he moved closer.

“I'm sorry, San-kitten,” he murmured, “I shouldn't have encouraged him.”

“No, it's ... I should have known. He's always been like that, I just....” San trailed off with a small grunt of what sounded like annoyance.

“Perhaps, but I wasn't very helpful.”

San shook his head slightly, sighing and pushing himself upright.

“Ah, I've disrupted your breakfast. I'm fine, Isshi-senpai, really,” he said, offering him an all too fragile smile. Seemingly of its own accord, his hand reached up to cup San's cheek, drawing him close enough for a quick peck of lips to lips.

“As long as you're sure, kitten,” he murmured, barely parted from his lips. A moment more to linger and then he was stepping away, returning to his breakfast and determinedly not thinking about why he had just kissed San like that. Last night had been a beautiful gift, never to be repeated, and that was all.


End file.
